The Emergency Committee also noted that the response of the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, WHO and partners has been rapid and comprehensive.

ECDC Assessment: While no confirmed cases in neighbouring countries have been documented as of 26 October 2018, the fact that the outbreak is ongoing in areas with an important cross-border population flow with Rwanda and Uganda remains of particular concern. In addition, the implementation of response measures in the field remains challenging because the outbreak occurs in areas affected by prolonged humanitarian crises and an unstable security situation arising from a complex armed conflict.

The probability of exposure to the disease for EU/EEA citizens who live or travel in Ebola virus disease-affected areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is low provided they adhere to recommended precautionary measures. The overall risk of introduction and further spread of Ebola virus within the EU/EEA is very low. However, the risk can only be eliminated by stopping transmission on a local level.